Target White-Collar Foreigners Instead

[Vulcann]

http://www.straitstimes.com/STForum/Story/...ory_637789.html

 

Target white-collar foreigners instead

 

WHILE the Government's decision to lessen reliance on foreign labour to raise productivity is laudable, the wrong sector is being targeted ('Worker levy increase shocks businesses'; last Saturday).

 

The Government should not focus on tightening blue-collar foreign labour as such migrant workers are needed in transient work.

 

They work in jobs that better-educated Singaporeans shun, for example, unskilled or semi-skilled construction, cleaning or waiting at tables.

 

What the increase in levy should aim for is to reduce the intake of white-collar foreign workers.

 

These are foreigners in banking, services, manufacturing and other industries who compete with tertiary-educated Singaporeans for the same jobs.

 

Most of them work and live here for a few years and affect crucial infrastructure like public transport and housing.

 

The lax policy in granting foreigners employment passes has created tensions in competition for scarce jobs that Singaporeans are qualified to take up.

 

Hiring foreigners because multinational corporations (MNCs) want them should no longer be justified.

 

We have relied too long on the rationale that because MNCs create jobs, let them hire whoever they wish as long as Singapore gains corporate tax revenue and is able to leverage on MNCs outsourcing advantages to local small and medium-sized enterprises.

 

Singaporeans need the jobs that the MNCs create. The current situation where employers need not justify their need for foreigners is not sustainable.

 

The Government should require MNCs to adhere to a Singaporean-first policy in hiring and allow MNCs to resort to foreigners only if Singaporeans do not qualify.

 

The Government should also introduce an effective levy and a quota for such professional foreign employees.

 

These foreign professionals, and permanent residents, should also be placed in a higher tax bracket.

 

Cheong Tuck Kuan

Edited February 22, 2011 by Vulcann

[Bens]

But local Singaporean employer also like to employ the foreigner workers! why?

[Moredhel]

Foreign workers and foreign talents are 2 different things.

 

I agree with Cheong Tuck Kuan but if you tax 20,000 FT in a higher bracket, it does not provide as much returns as if you tax 500,000 FWs with levies to their businesses. This does not make sense to coporate PAP. Hence, they hope to pull wool over our eyes an hope the majority is dumb enough to believe their shite.